Visual Acuity Testing with Astigmatism

ChangeBridge: Patent Apps - Diagnosis & Surgery (A61B)

Published April 2nd, 2026

Detected April 2nd, 2026

Summary

USPTO published patent application US20260090713A1 for a method and device determining visual acuity characteristics of subjects with astigmatic visual defects. The invention uses preferential direction testing aligned with cylinder axis correction, adapted visual signs with directional features, and optical power application to measure acuity in specific orientations. Inventors are Adam Muschielok and Stephan Trumm.

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What changed

USPTO published patent application US20260090713A1 for a method, use of adapted optotypes, and device for determining visual acuity characteristics of a test person with astigmatic visual defects. The method involves providing visual defect data including cylinder axis position, selecting a preferential direction corresponding to or rotated 90 degrees from the cylinder axis, applying optical power in that direction, and displaying adapted visual signs aligned parallel to the preferential direction. The application was filed September 12, 2023 under Application No. 19110481.

This is a patent publication rather than a regulatory requirement, so it creates no compliance obligations. Medical device manufacturers developing visual acuity or astigmatism testing equipment should review the claims to assess potential patent infringement considerations. Healthcare providers and clinical investigators conducting visual acuity testing may benefit from awareness of emerging testing methodologies. No action is required for compliance purposes.

Source document (simplified)

← USPTO Patent Applications

METHOD, USE OF ADAPTED OPTOTYPES AND DEVICE FOR DETERMINING VISUAL ACUITY CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUBJECT

Application US20260090713A1 Kind: A1 Apr 02, 2026

Inventors

Adam Muschielok, Stephan Trumm

Abstract

A method for determining acuity-of-vision characteristics of a test person with a astigmatic visual defect, including: providing visual defect data for the test person, wherein the visual defect data includes a cylinder axis or axial position of a required optical cylinder correction; selecting a preferential direction such that this preferential direction either corresponds to the cylinder axis which is assigned to the optical cylinder correction, is rotated by 90° to this cylinder axis, or is derived from wavefront data using a point spread function; applying an optical power in the selected preferential direction; displaying an adapted visual sign, which has a directional feature, wherein the adapted visual sign is displayed aligned such that its directional feature is parallel to the preferential direction; and determining acuity-of-vision characteristics of the test person for the selected preferential direction, taking into account a dimension of the directional feature and the applied optical power.